Art of annealing sheets



H. M. COX

ART OF ANNEALING SHEETS Filed Jan. 2, 1957 Dec. 27, 1938.

Patented Dec. 27, 193s 2,141,518

UNITED sTATEs oFFicE ART F ANNEALING SHEETS Herbert M. Cox, Kokomo, Ind. Application January 2, 1937, Serial No. 118,784 1 Claim. (Cl. 148-12) My invention which relates generally to the art shown in Figs. 3 and 4. According to Figs. 1 and of annealing sheets is concerned particularly with 2, the upper surface of the bottom rises through a method and apparatus used in connection with a curve from its opposite ends and sides toward lthe box annealing of sheets of steel or iron. One a point of highest elevation in the center, thus 5 difficulty which is common to the practices now producing an ellipsoid. The sheets which are 5 employed is that the sheets, after annealing, tend piled upon such a surface take on a correspondto Warp or twist, thereby acquiring a deflection ing curvature, inclining downwardly toward the from a flat plane. To overcome this tendency opposite ends and sides, as shown. After annealvarlous expedients have been used, but all of ing, followed by cooling, each sheet may be passed l0 them are unsatisfactory in some degree or other. through a roller level, whereupon it is flattened l0 It is a primary object of this invention to provide and will remain so indefinitely. ways and means of performing an annealing oper- With the bottom shaped as shown in Figs. 3 ation on sheets of iron or steel so that the sheets, and 4, I provide a series of convex surfaces, arupon cooling, will lie in fiat condition, and be free ranged in succession. The stack of sheets which l5 from any warp or twist such as is common at the is placed upon such a surface takes on a correl5 y present time. sponding form. In this condition they will re- In the accompanying drawing is shown an exmain throughout the annealing operation, but emplification of apparatus suitable for carrying thereafter, upon cooling and separation, they will out my invention, Fig. lbeing a central longitudilie perfectly flat, once they are put through a nal section through an annealing box and bottom roller level. y 20 upon which a pile of sheets is rested; Fig. 2, a In the practice ofthis invention, I depend upon transverse section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1; the utilization of certain forces which hereto- Fig. 3, a perspective view of a stack of sheets on tore have been uncontrolled, whereby the resultan annealing bottom of modified construction; ing sheets are wavy or twisted. The improved and Fig. 4, a fragmentary view in section on line condition of the sheets, i. e., their fiat condition, 2.. 4-4 of Fig. 3. may perhaps be due to greater freedom for con- In carrying out this invention, a plurality of traction and expansion, particularly those sheets sheets are arranged in a stk S upon the upper at the bottom of the pile. The employment of a surface of a bottom B, over which is fitted an convex surface, either single or multiple, seems 3o enclosing top T, commonly referred to as a box. to facilitate such movement with the consequent so While so stacked and enclosed within the box, lelimination of any strains which tend ultimately the entire pile of sheets is subjected to an anto produce a wave or twist in the sheets, when nealing temperature, following which the sheets cooled. The sheets to be treated according to my are cooled, separated and removed. invention are produced by the usual process, but

The sheets to be annealed, according to my init is unnecessary that there be any fullness in 35 vention, need not have any fullness in the center. their center regions, as is commonly the case when They may, if desired, be rolled dead flat-the most cold rolling is employed. desirable condition if it can be maintained. Even I claim:

S0 it iS dieult t0 Prevent the Sheet from tWiSfJiIlg- In the process of producing flat annealed sheets,

In practice, sheets are commonly cold rolled in lthe steps of supporting a plurality of stacked 4U Such a Way as to acquire a Slight COIlVeXty (01' sheets between the margins thereof upon a rec- COYICaVitY. depending upon which face is viewed), tangular supporting surface which is arched from in Preparaten OI the Succeeding Step 0f I`0l1e1 a central portion toward each of the margins of leveling. This convex (or concave) pre-shaping the support while annealing so that portions of may be dispensed With, aS will now'be explained. the sheets are caused to bulge out of a at plane, 45

The bottom on which the Sheets are Stacked fOr thereafter removing and separating said sheets, annealing is shaped with an upper surface which and finally passing the sheets through a roller is ellipsoidal, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or which level while cool. is provided with a plurality of convex curves, as HERBERT M. COX. 

